Sacramento Flournoy Reception

USC State Capital Center Hosts Flournoy Professorship Reception

On Sep. 7, the USC State Capital Center hosted a dedication reception for the newly established Houston Flournoy Professorship in State Government, honoring Dr. Juliet Musso as the first holder.

The professorship is named after Houston “Hugh” Flournoy, long-time professor at the USC School of Policy, Planning, and Development, who died in 2008. Dr. Flournoy was known as a scholar dedicated to public service, who taught in both Los Angeles and Sacramento. In addition, he had a distinguished record in California’s state government, serving as a State Assemblyman and as State Controller in the ’60s and early ’70s.

The professorship supports a resident faculty member in Sacramento who will have an outstanding impact on research and teaching in the areas of state government and politics.

Musso’s areas of expertise center on federalism and urban political economy, with specific research interests in intergovernmental fiscal policy, state and local institutional reform, and collaborative governance. She has published on state budgeting and intergovernmental finance, the political economy of municipal incorporation, and neighborhood governance in the City of Los Angeles. She has been faculty member at SPPD since 1995, most recently serving as the director of our graduate programs in public policy and management.

SPPD Vice Dean Elizabeth Graddy, during her remarks at the event, said of Musso: “As a teacher, Juliet is not only a mentor to her students, but also an inspiration — a continuous source of guidance, support, and encouragement. She is a person of great character and someone who embodies the spirit of the Trojan Family. With her record of achievement in research and her substantial contributions to public affairs education, Juliet’s appointment as the first-ever Flournoy Professor is indeed very fitting.”

Graddy added, “We are excited to have Juliet’s leadership in advancing our mission and elevating our center’s presence in the areas of state institutions, public policy and governance.”